27th August 1799 - Battle of Callantsoog

Well there weren't many assault landings in the eighteen century but this was one of the few. You can read all about the real thing in my book (it's even on the cover):



Plug over on with the game!
The battle was the first stage in a British attempt to invade the Netherlands (or the Batavian Republic as it was calling itself) and free it from the French yoke.
This one involved quite a bit of painting and modelling as I had to paint two armies and build an invasion fleet and a beach... was reasonably pleased with the results.

Turn 1- The British Land

It's that pirate ship from Wilko's with a new coat of paint, showing her worst side.

The navy gets the lobsters ashore. Here the Guards Grenadier Battalion (Irregular AWI) are helped from Zvezda launches by HaT sailors. Historically the landings were a shambles but I wanted to make a game of it so landed units in waves and had lots of skirmish bases.

An overview of the battlefield showing Daendels' Batavian army poised to implement his plan to repel the invaders but will they fight or will they embrace the counter-revolution?

Turn 2

The British land more troops.

 The Batavian Jaegers begin to skirmish with the British light companies.

But mostly they hold their position (cavalry from the  Irregular Miniatures 'Early Napoleonic' range)

 ... and observe the landing out of range of the ships' guns.

Turn 3

The British land more troops- In fact Moore's troops!

Moore's Brigade on the beach.

The light companies push back the Jaegers.

Turn 4

There is more desultorary skirmishing

The Batavian line is strengthened by the deployment of some infantry companies but they are pushed back.

Turn 5

The British take the first line of dunes.

The Guards push on through the centre.

Turn 6

There is a lot of skirmishing but increadibly every single hit was saved and there was no result apart from the inexorable adavance of the British invasion force.

 The British push up to the sand dyke.

Colonel Crass leads the defence.

Turn 7

The British take the Sand Dyke and the Batavians finally move.

Fighting atop the dyke.

The Batavians advance to meet the invader.

Turn 8

The British break through to the planes

Some artillery is dragged up the beach.

Moore's Brigade also moves off the beach.

Turn 8
The British close with the bayonet but things don't go their way and they are thrown back.

The melee.

The Batavians withdraw to unmask their guns and counter attack but with little success.

7HB move up from Helder to encircle the British.

Turn 9
The Guards assault the telegraph post.

But are repulsed - The telegraph is made from a drinking straw, a couple of coacktail sticks and some wine bottle foil. - It is protected by an emplaced artillery battery.

The Batavians fight back and there are melees along the whole line.

Turn 10

The Guards rally under fire by the telegraph post - It turns out I interpreted the rules incorrectly and they should have taken the post last turn but hey - that's war!

 Moore's Brigade continue to advance.

The Batavians throw in their cavalry and successfully attack the Guard Grenadiers.

Turn 11

The struggle continues with no conclusive result.

It's the sun!! As rare in my loft these days as in the Helder in 1799!

Turn 12

The British finally take the telegraph post.

This was a tough nut to crack historically too.

Triumphant guardsmen.

The Batavians are beaten back across the whole front. Their only fresh troops are those from Helder who hav ebeen held up by pockets of British infantry in the dunes. Although they have suffered heavy casualties, the British are in a comanding position and may call this a successful landing. 

Nice little game really.